In ancient times, poets in Ireland (they were called bards) enjoyed great honor and respect. After all, the poet in his song could praise or ridicule anyone - be he a shepherd or a king. And honor and a good name were valued above all else in those days.
One day, King Guairi of Connacht hosted a great feast. To this feast he invited and summoned countless learned men, sages and scribes, singers and musicians, and three prophetic old women - Gruh, Grah and Grangait, and leaders, and noble men, and all the best poets and poetesses of Ireland. The food provided by King Guairi was so generous and plentiful that to this day the ancient road leading to his palace is called the Road of Satiety.
The feast lasted three days and three nights. The king's guests ate, had fun and enjoyed wonderful music. Only the famous bard Seanahan sat gloomily at the table, not touching food or drink. King Guairi was very surprised at this and more than once sent his servants to him with exquisite dishes and treats, but he always sent them back with contempt. “I don’t like this,” he told the king’s people, and Guairi became more and more worried every hour. The king was afraid that Shonahan might glorify his feast in some mocking song and thereby disgrace and dishonor him forever.
And on the third day of the feast, King Guairi sent his daughter to Shonahan with an excellent treat - a wheat pie and boiled salmon on a golden platter. But the bard rejected the food this time too.
“I don’t like this,” he said.
– What would you like, oh noble bard? – asked the king’s daughter.
“I would have liked a fresh chicken egg from under the porch,” he answered.
The girl left and soon returned.
“There’s no egg there, my lord.”
“So you ate it yourself,” Seanahan said angrily.
“Oh no, my lord, the mice dragged him away and ate him,” answered the king’s daughter.
- Oh, yes! - exclaimed the bard. “Then I’ll compose an evil song about them.”
And he sang such a sarcastic and mocking song about mice that two dozen mice immediately died on the spot from shame.
“That's good,” Seanahan said. - But the cat is no less to blame. After all, it is his job and duty to keep mice at bay. I will compose a reproach to the entire tribe of cats and, first of all, to the cat king Iruzan, the son of Aruzan, for he is responsible for all the affairs of his subjects.
And he sang this song:
Iruzan, where are you looking?
You missed the mouse, lazy fellow!
The mouse is laughing at you!
Grab your tail out of frustration!
Where are the ends of your ears?
Apparently the ferret chewed them off.
The short-eared king of cats,
Are you ready to run away from rats?
Iruzan heard this reproach in his cave and said to his wife Sharptooth, brothers Murlan and Meowkan and daughter Spark-Eyes:
“Shaunahan sang a mocking song about me, but I will take revenge on him!”
“Bring him to us alive,” Sharptooth growled fiercely. “He will pay for his insolence.”
And so, while King Guairi’s feast was going on as usual, suddenly an eerie hissing and a growing roar was heard, as if in a furnace raging with flames, and a huge cat burst into the hall. He was the size of a good bull, wild, breathing malice, bob-eared, flat-nosed, sharp-toothed, frantic, vengeful, with sharp claws and sparkling eyes.
He rushed straight at the famous bard, grabbed him by the hand, threw him on his back and rushed away in one leap. No one dared to stand in his way.
When Shonahan realized that he was being carried away by the ferocious Iruzan - carried away to be torn to pieces in his cave - he decided to resort to cunning and soften the wrath of the cat king. He immediately came up with and sang the following song of praise:
Iruzan, why your anger?
You grabbed me like a lion.
You are powerful and you are great,
You are like a bull, full of strength.
You are swift and brave -
Who dared argue with you?
Hail, son of Aruzanov,
Lord and rat slayer!
This skillful praise softened the heart of the cat king, and he first stopped in order to better hear the singer, and when he listened to the end, he waved his tail, threw Shonahan to the ground and, purring with pride, returned to his lair.
- Let us thank this day for the wonderful deliverance! - said Saint Ciaran, who suddenly appeared.
- Damn this day! – Seanahan responded with annoyance.
- But why? - asked the saint.
“It would be better if this cat tore me into pieces and ate me!” Then all the dishonor would fall on the head of King Guairi - after all, it was because of his ill-fated feast that I got into such a mess!
Having heard about this incident, all noble men and all the people of Ireland began to respect Seanahan even more. The kings vied with each other to invite him to the court, but the great singer rejected all invitations and retired to his home, to the Abode of the Bards.
Time passed, and he made peace with King Guairi, and a new feast was arranged, which lasted exactly thirty days and thirty nights without interruption. All the bards and musicians were gathered at this feast, and Shonahan sat at the table above the mighty chiefs and noble men. There was an abundance of wonderful dishes, foreign drinks, and silver cups.
When the bards returned from that feast, in gratitude for the honor and hospitality, they glorified the king in many verses and sang him in songs as the noble Guairi. He is known by this name to this day, for the poet’s word is immortal.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru